Archive for June, 2015

Pivot Cycles have added a brand new carbon fiber 29er to their lineup, the Mach 429 Trail. Designed to be an even more versatile bike than their popular, XC oriented, Mach 429, the Trail version gets a slacker head angle, more travel, and Boost spacing front and rear. In addition to slightly increasing rear end stiffness, the 12×148 and 15×110 spacing allows riders to run 27.5+ wheels without any issues. Even for riders not interested in experimenting with plus-sized wheels, that extra clearance ensures the meaty 29″ tires fit with room to spare as well.

The bike’s 116mm of rear suspension travel is still handled by a dw-link design, with two short links connecting the swingwarm to the front triangle, but the upper link has been redesigned, and the seatstay pivots are now located in a more forward position. There’s also a new front derailleur mount that’s less noticeable when riders opt for 1x setups, as well as being compatible with Shimano’s new Side Swing derailleur technology, which has the housing exiting the derailleur horizontally, rather than vertically. A 120 or 130mm fork is recommended to complement the rear suspension – going the 130mm route puts the head angle at a relatively slack 67.5°.

The frame itself is incredibly clean looking, with plenty of room for a water bottle inside the front triangle, rubberized leather downtube and chainstay protection, and stealth dropper post routing. Interestingly, none of the build kits include a dropper post – don’t forget to leave room in the budget for that must-have accessory.

Pricing for the complete bike starts at $3999 for the Shimano SLX equipped version, and goes as high as $7699 for riders that want to go all-in with an XTR drivetrain, Kashima coated FOX suspension, and DT Swiss carbon wheels. For riders interested in putting together their own build kit, the 5.9 pound frame and shock are available for $2499 USD. The Mach 429 Trail is expected to start shipping to dealers this week.